11/02/11

Appointed by God

Jeremiah 38:1,2 - Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.


Jeremiah is considered as one of the craziest yet the one of the greatest Man of God during those times. The things he was instructed to do and the situations he had to bear made his life most difficult and sometimes even he himself cried and thought what he was doing not helping God's Kingdom but little did he know that he would be the Paul of the Old Testament. Most of the books explaining Prophesies like Daniel and Revelation are mostly written based on the Words the Lord spoke through Jeremiah.

I really understand Jeremiah for I too have been in his shoes (may be his junior shoes). My life too has been a crazy ride and people who know me will tell you that. People around me have to change or else run away especially those whom God has called. When the Lord asks me to speak to them, He also starts His work on them then it is either give in or give up.

Like Jeremiah there are times I also look at what I am doing and see I am hurting many a people but what can I do when they are in the flesh. A nick name a brother kept during my early days in the Lord was 'thorn to the flesh' for people would fear to even take my phone. But as spiritual maturity grew in me I do not stop what I did before but I do it with grace for we dwell in the times of grace. The fire in my bones does not allow me to stop like in the case of Jeremiah.

There was an incident of a family member who does work for the church (Catholic church and famous for deliverance), this happened when the Lord started removing me out of that church. He accused me of having a spirit (evil) in me so I challenged him to deliver me since he had that power in him. What happened after that bought fear in him that he started believing evil spirits were more powerful than him even though he thought he was in the Lord (understand even the unbelievers claim to do deliverances but these cases are never permanently sorted and reoccur - they deceive).

There was a time I also thought was I picking on the Catholics just because I felt cheated and robed by them when I did not know the Lord. But then the Lord spoke unto me on this matter and assured me what I was doing was just as He has instructed through Jeremiah (Jer 50:28-30).

The people who were hearing Jeremiah had great names and positions (Shephatiah-"Jehovah has judged", Gedaliah-"Jehovah is great", Jucal-"Jehovah is able" and Pashur-"freedom") but when they heard an appointed man of God (Jeremiah means "whom Jehovah has appointed") the ground below their feet shook.

When the Lord appoints you He may lead you to do some of the craziest things, do not fear just do it, but do make sure it is from the Lord and not your flesh leading you; that can be confirmed if one knows the nature of God and His Word (since we do not have full understanding of all scriptures the nature of God helps us confirm if we are in the right direction). For example there was an evangelist in the 70's who was very famous for hitting people in the place of problem and healing them, it was latter in his old age when his wife died before the helpless him, that he acknowledged it was faith and not his hitting that healed people.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are an Awesome God and You do awesome things through your appointed ones. Lord we live in a time that needs more and more appointed ones through whom your power is experienced so that people acknowledge your presence. We need more Jeremiahs now than ever to strengthen your Church and bring it out of the confusion that it is in. The leaders are more concentrated on pleasing people more than pleasing You. We need a renewal among the leaders so that they concentrate more not in just making believers but making disciples for You...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Jeremiah 20:8-13
8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.
9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
12 But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.
13 Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

Lamentations 1:12-13
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

Jeremiah 50:28-30
28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
30 Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.


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